Cuisine-IQ board game

ABSTRACT

A cuisine-IQ board game has a board having spaces designated with respective cuisine types and playing tokens respectively for the players. A selection device is operated by the first player to select one of the cuisine types independently of the operation. A question device is operated by the second (therefore questioner) player to select a first question related to the one of the cuisine types independently of the operation. If the first player answers the first question correctly, the first player receives at least one point, but no point for not answering correctly. Award tokens are awarded to the first player upon accumulating a set number of points, a first of the players accumulating a set number of award tokens winning the board game. Thus, after the first player answers the first question correctly or not, the next player may operate the selection means and continue as the first player did, each player having a turn to answer a question to accumulate points and award tokens.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/503,184 filed Sep. 15, 2003, and incorporates the same byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Board games such as Chess, for example, have been long known. Today, theboard of such games may take a number of forms ranging from cloth topaste board to screens that implement a pattern of the board optically,fluidically, electronically or in some other way. As used herein, theboard of a board game comprehends all these.

Board games are traditionally played by people. However, particularlywhen the board is implemented electronically, at least one game playermay be electronic as when a person plays Chess against Deep Blue or someother digital computer device. Therefore, players as used hereincomprehends both people and devices.

Julia Child was memorialized at her death as having led popularexpansion of interest, appreciation and knowledge of food and, inparticular, national, regional, ethnic, ingredient (e.g., mushroom)cuisine types. Such popular expansion is, in any event, generallyacknowledged.

The board games and food interest have combined. For example, Brown U.S.Pat. No. 6,499,739 of Dec. 31, 2002, discloses a Restaurant Theme BoardGame in which players traverse successive table patterns on the boardfive times within a predetermined period of time in relation toquestions such a “Things you stuff” (e.g., turkey) for adollar-denominated prize for doing so first. For another example,Jackson U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,418 of Jun. 29, 2004, discloses a What's ForDinner Board Game in which foods of categories like “veggies” (e.g.,mashed potatoes) and “desserts” (e.g, Jello) and cooking times arespaced about a board square for a player to be the first to accumulatecooking times for foods selected by rolling a number cube.

While these and other efforts may have combined board games with foodinterest, they have not added appreciation or, beyond basics, knowledgeas in the popular expansion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Toward this, the invention provides a cuisine-IQ board game for playingby at least a first player and at least one of second and next players.The cuisine-IQ board game has a board having spaces designated withrespective cuisine types and playing tokens respectively for theplayers. A selection device is operated by the first player to selectone of the cuisine types independently of the operation. A questiondevice is operated by the second (therefore questioner) player to selecta first question related to the one of the cuisine types independentlyof the operation. If the first player answers the first questioncorrectly, the first player receives at least one point, but no pointfor not answering correctly. Award tokens are awarded to the firstplayer upon accumulating a set number of points, a first of the playersaccumulating a set number of award tokens winning the board game. Thus,after the first player answers the first question correctly or not, thenext player may operate the selection means and continue as the firstplayer did, each player having a turn to answer a question to accumulatepoints and award tokens.

In preferred play with several players, the second (questioner) playeris the player to the first player's right and the next player is theplayer to the first player's left, the first player taking the place ofthe second player when play has advanced to the next player. In thisway, play continues clockwise from player to player about the preferablygenerally circular arrangement of the spaces on the board designatingthe cuisine types to which the questions are directed. Of course, whenthere are only two players, then the second and next player are thesame, the second and next player being both to the right(counterclockwise) and left (clockwise) of the first player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Preferred embodiments that illustrate but do not limit the inventionwill now be described with reference to an accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a board for a board game according to theinvention together with playing tokens, selection device, award tokensand part of a box therefor, background portions not described notforming part of the invention;

FIG. 2 is another pictorial view of playing tokens, selection device,award tokens and box for the board game of FIG. 1 together with the backsides of question devices therefor;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the front side of a question devicetherefor;

FIG. 4 is a top/front perspective view of a box shown partially in FIG.2;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are plan views of back sides of cards; and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of another embodiment of a “Fun Fruit” design onthe box of FIG. 4

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A playing side of a preferred board 10 (as comprehended above) is shownin FIG. 1 with food-related motifs for board games according to theinvention. The board has spaces 101, 103 that are designated withrespective cuisine types Italy and Morocco. These and other, similarspaces 105, 107, 108, 109 extend generally circularly about the boardfor receiving cuisine-type designations like spaces 105, 108 or a startdesignation for playing the board game with all players starting in thesame place. However, in other embodiments (not shown) thestart-designated space 107 may be differently located, for example inthe center of the board or omitted for each player to start from his owndesignated or un-designated place.

The board is divided into segments 111, 113 by a line 115. When the line115 is a fold line, the playing side of the board may be protected byfolding the board and storage space for the board as in box 18 (FIGS. 2and 4) may be reduced. When the line 115 is a separation line, one orboth of the segments may be replaced with other board segments (notshown) having spaces designating other cuisine types, whereby the boardgame can be enhanced, varied or updated. Replacing segments of the boardis facilitated by having the spaces separate at the line 115 like thespaces 101, 103.

The cuisine-type designations of the spaces of the board may be printedor otherwise fixed to the board. Such fixing cooperates with enhancing,varying or updating the board game with replacement board sections asdescribed above. However, in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, thecuisine-type designations are pieces replaceably on the board spaces,whereby the board game can be enhanced, varied or updated by replacingthe cuisine-type designations of the spaces of the board.

Playing tokens are shown at 12 in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown for thispreferred embodiment, the playing tokens are food related and,specifically, kitchen-implement-, kettel-, pot- and/or pan-shaped.Although five playing tokens are shown, there should be as many tokensas players for each player to have a respective playing token.

A selection device 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a number cube or diewith respective numbers on each face. However, in another embodiment(not shown), faces of the die have cuisine-type designationscorresponding to the cuisine-type designations of the spaces of theboard. In either case, other selection devices such as spinning pointersor fluidic or electronic number or name generators may be used toprovide a number or cuisine-type designation. These known selectiondevices are operated by a player to select one of the cuisine typesdesignated on the spaces of the board independently of the player'soperation of the device.

Thus, when a first player has a playing token 12 at the start space 101and throws the selection device die 14 to have the up-facing number 4shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the player may move the playing token 12 fromthe start space 101 four cuisine-designated spaces preferably clockwiseto, in this case, the France cuisine-type designated space 109 on theboard. However, when the selection device indicates cuisine types, thenthe first player would move the playing token directly to the cuisinetype selected by the operation of the selection device, whereby thestart-designated space on the board may be eliminated, if desired.

When the first player has selected a cuisine type, another, second(questioner) player operates a question device 13 (FIG. 2) that providesa question related to the cuisine-type for the first player selected bythe selection device as described above for France. In the preferredembodiment of FIG. 2, the question device is packs of cards having backsides 131, 133 (only two shown) with a motif related to the cuisinetypes designated on the spaces which, in this case, is the word Francefor the back side 131 corresponding to the cuisine type word designationof the space 109 of the board. However, in the embodiments of FIGS.5-10, the motif on the back side related to the cuisine types alsoincludes an artistic representation and this is the best mode nowcontemplated. Other examples (not shown) of such artistic motifs mightbe colorful representations of the cuisine type, for example the EiffelTower for the France card 109 or the Statue of Liberty for a the backside of a card (not shown) for correspondence with the United Statesdesignated space 105 of the board. Still other examples (not shown) ofartistic motifs may be of one or more famous restaurants of thedesignated cuisine type, whereby the board game may be commerciallysponsored, if desired.

In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2, the second or next playeroperates the question device by selecting a card from the pack havingthe back side motif corresponding to the cuisine-type designation of thefirst player's token, which is card back of motif France 131 in theexample described above. In other embodiments (not shown) the selectionmay be any card of the pack, because the question selected is on thefront side of the pack, which is not seen. Thus, the selection of thequestion for the first player is independent of the operation of thecard pack by the second or next player. Therefore, question devicesother than cards, such as visual or aural electronic devices or slotmachine type devices, are known.

The card selection provides a first question at 137 from the front sideof the card like the front side 135 of a card for United States cuisinetype shown in FIG. 3. The second or next player asks the question to thefirst player who may answer correctly according to the answer alsoindicated parenthetically at 139 on the front side of the card below thequestion. Other embodiments (not shown) may otherwise indicate thequestions and answers.

If the first player correctly answers the first question, the firstplayer is awarded at least one point. The number of points is a fixed 1in the preferred embodiment but may be related to the question, forexample by difficulty, and indicated on the front or back side of thecard in other embodiments (not shown). If the first question iscorrectly answered a second, bonus question at 137 a is asked and, ifcorrectly answered according to the answer at 139 a, another point isawarded the first player or, in other embodiments (not shown)question-related points may be awarded. The number of points is, ofcourse, arbitrary and may be 1.1, 10 or 100 or other increments in otherembodiments (not shown). No points are awarded for an incorrect answerand, in other embodiments (not shown), points or player turns may bededucted for incorrect answers.

When the first player has correctly or incorrectly answered thequestion(s) as described above, a next player preferably rotating aboutthe board from player to player clockwise, comes into the status of thefirst player, the second (questioner) player being preferably the playerto the first player's right thus also advancing clockwise about theplayers. The terms first, second and next player thus successivelydescribe each player of the board game, the second and next playersbeing the same when there only two players, it being recalled as wellthat one of the first and second or next players may be electronicallyor otherwise implemented in known ways contemplated within the scope ofthe invention.

When the first player has accumulated a set number of points by turns ofplay as above, the first player is awarded an award token preferably ina food-related shape such as chef's toque 16 in FIGS. 1 and 2. In thepreferred embodiment 10 points are required for the award of a chefstoque. Being awarded a set number, preferably three, award tokens inthis way wins the game.

Various embodiments and manners of play have been described for theboard game. These in any and all combinations and still other variationsas will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art are contemplated asbeing within the scope of the following claims.

1. In a board game for playing by at least a first player and at leastone of second and next players, the improvements comprising: a boardhaving spaces designated with respective cuisine types; playing tokensrespectively for the players; selection means for operation by the firstplayer to select one of the cuisine types independently of theoperation, whereby the first player's one of the playing tokens isassociated with the one of the spaces designated with the one of thecuisine types selected; question means for operation by the secondplayer to select a first question related to the one of the cuisinetypes independently of the operation and the first player to answer, thefirst player receiving at least one of points for answering the firstquestion correctly and none of the points for not; award tokens foraward to the first player upon accumulating a set number of the points,a first of the players accumulating a set number of award tokens winningthe board game, whereby the next player operates the selection meansafter the first player has answered to continue the board game fromplayer to player.
 2. The board game according to claim 1, wherein thespaces are designated with respective country cuisine types.
 3. Theboard game according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the playing andaward tokens are food related.
 4. The board game according to claim 2,wherein at least one of the playing and award tokens are food related.5. The board game according to claim 3, wherein the playing tokens areone or more of kitchen-implement-, kettle-, pot- and pan-shaped.
 6. Theboard game according to claim 3, wherein the award tokens are chefstoque-shape.
 7. The board game according to claim 1, wherein the spacesare arranged generally circularly.
 8. The board game according to claim4, wherein the spaces are arranged generally circularly.
 9. The boardgame according to claim 1, wherein the board has sections, each of thesections having at least one of the spaces, whereby one of the sectionsof the board may be replaced with another section having the at leastone of the spaces with a different cuisine-type designation.
 10. Theboard game according to claim 8, wherein the board has sections, each ofthe sections having at least one of the spaces, whereby one of thesections of the board may be replaced with another section having the atleast one of the spaces with a different cuisine-type designation. 11.The board game according to claim 1, and further comprising cuisine-typedesignation pieces for changing the designations of the spaces.
 12. Theboard game according to claim 8, and further comprising cuisine-typedesignation pieces for changing the designations of the spaces.
 13. Theboard game according to claim 1, wherein the selection means comprisesone of a die having sequential numbers on respective faces, a die havingcuisine-type designations corresponding to the designations of thespaces on respective faces, and a spinner to point at respectivecuisine-type designations corresponding to the designations of thespaces.
 14. The board game according to claim 10, wherein the selectionmeans comprises one of a die having sequential numbers on respectivefaces, a die having cuisine-type designations corresponding to thedesignations of the spaces on respective faces, and a spinner to pointat respective cuisine-type designations corresponding to thedesignations of the spaces.
 15. The board game according to claim 12,wherein the selection means comprises one of a die having sequentialnumbers on respective faces, a die having cuisine-type designationscorresponding to the designations of the spaces on respective faces, anda spinner to point at respective cuisine-type designations correspondingto the designations of the spaces.
 16. The board game according to claim1, wherein the question means comprises cards having the first questionand answer thereto on a front side and a motif related to the one of thecuisine types on a back side.
 17. The board game according to claim 14,wherein the question means comprises cards having the first question andanswer thereto on a front side identification of the one of the cuisinetypes on a back side.
 18. The board game according to claim 15, whereinthe question means comprises cards having the first question and answerthereto on a front side and identification of the one of the cuisinetypes on a back side.
 19. The board game according to claim 1, whereinthe question means further comprises a bonus question for the firstplayer to be answered only after answering the first question correctly,the first player receiving at least one point for answering the bonusquestion correctly.
 20. The board game according to claim 17, whereinthe back side of the question means further comprises a bonus questionfor the first player to be answered only after answering the firstquestion correctly, the first player receiving at least one point foranswering the bonus question correctly.
 21. The board game according toclaim 18, wherein the back side of question means further comprises abonus question for the first player to be answered only after answeringthe first question correctly, the first player receiving at least onepoint for answering the bonus question correctly.